Oil well sucker rod assembly



Nov. 12, 1957 J. P. BRUSCO OIL WELL SUCKER- ROD ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 26, 1956 POW-ER INVENTOR.

JOHN BRUSCQ AmRNEYS as: I

Nov. 12, 1957 J. P. BRUSCO OIL WELL SUCKER ROD ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001:. 26, 1956 INVENTOR. UTDHN P. aizusco ATTO ZN EVS g/l/ /l r/ff l/r l/ I ggy/41"? United States Patent U OIL WELL SUCKER ROD ASSEMBLY John P. Brusco, Salome, Ariz. Application Getober 26, 1956, Serial No. 613,514 Claims. (Cl. 16660) The present invention relates to a sucker rod assembly for insertion in a well tubing and in particular to a sucker rod having means for liquefying and removing paraifin that may congeal in the well tubing.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sucker rod assembly which lends itself to rapid and efficient liqu fying and removal of semi-solid substances, such as paraffin, and the like, from the sucker rod and from the wall of the well tubing in which the sucker rod assembly is inserted, one which may be used with oil wells which are free-flowing, or with wells which necessitate pumping operations, one which avoids the electrolysis commonly a problem when electrical currents are used in conjunction with the well tubing or well casing, one which lends itself to the application of a solvent for converting solid or semisolid parafiin to a liquid and for lowering the viscosity of heavy oils in the well tubing, one which is sturdy in construction and simple in structure, easily assembled and disassembled, and attached to the pumping jack of a well rig, one which may be economically manufactured and assembled, and one which is highly efiective in action. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1A is a sectional view of the upper end portion of a well casing and well tubing with the upper end portion of the sucker rod assembly of the present invention installed therein,

Figure 1B is a sectional view of of the assembly of Figure 1A,

Figure 2A is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2A of Figure 1A with the well tubing and well casing removed,

Figure 2B is a sectional View, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2B of Figure 113 with the Well tubing and easing removed,

Figure 3 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2A,

Figure 4 is a sectional view Figure 2A, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 55 of Figure 23.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which like numerals represent like parts throughout the several views, the oil rod sucker rod assembly, according to the present invention comprising an outer hollow member adapted to be positioned within a well tubing 11, the latter being spaced Within and concentric with respect to a well casing 12. The upper end of the well casing 12 and the tubing 11 is closed and connected by a conventionally arranged casing head 13.

The upper end of the outer member 10 projects through an insulating bushing 14 and extends above the casing head 13 to where it is attached to a bracket 15 with an insulating collar 16 interposed between the outer member 10 and the bracket 15 to electrically insulate the outer member 10 from the bracket 15 and the cable 17 which connects the bracket 15 to a well rig pumping jack.

Means is provided on the lower end of the outer member the lower end portion taken on the line 44 of 10 for attachment of a pump element, such as the piston assembly 18. Specifically, this means embodies a coupler 19 having an electrically insulating sleeve element 21 electrically separating the outer member 10 from the piston assembly 18.

A hollow inner member 22 is positioned within and extends longitudinally through the outer member 10 and has a portion adjacent the upper end thereof projecting above the upper end of the outer member 10. The outer member 10 and the inner member 22 are both fabricated of electrically conductive material, the material of the outer member 10 being of less conductivity than the material of the inner member 22.

Electrically insulating means is interposed between the outer member 10 and the inner member 22 and separates them from each other and supports the inner member 22 in its concentric position with respect to the outer member 10. This means embodies a plurality of rings 23 arranged in spaced relation along the inner member 22, the rings 23 being fabricated of a electrically non-conductive material, such as asbestos, or the like.

Means is provided for connecting the upper end portions of the outer member 10 and the inner member 22 to opposite sides of a source of electric current and embodies a collar 24 circumposed about the upper end portion of the outer member 19 and electrically in contact therewith. A wire 25 is secured to the terminal post 26 011 the collar 24 and is connected to one side of a source of power. An elbow 27 provided with a terminal 28 provides the means for connecting the inner member 22 to another wire 29 leading to the other side of the source of power.

Means is provided on the projecting portion 31 or the inner member 22 for connecting the inner member 22 to a source of liquid solvent under pressure. Specifically, this means includes a flexible conduit 32 and a valve 33 which controls the flow of the solvent from the conduit 32 to the interior of the inner member 22. The coupler 19 is provided with at least one dispensing port 34 which is connected in communication with a passage 35 through the coupler 19 which is, in turn, connected in communication with the interior of the inner member 22.

The sucker rod assembly of the present invention is made in sections and threadedly connected together, as indicated by the reference numeral 36 in Figure 2A. Means is provided for electrically connecting each of the inner members 22 together and consists in a spring biased contact pin 37 recessed into the lower end of the inner member 22 and bearing against the upper end of the next adjacent inner member 22 when the sections are securer together. The pins 37, as shown in Figure 3, being shown as three in number for each inner member 22, by electrically connected to the inner member 22 by cables or fine wires, or other means (not shown), so that there is little or no resistance to the passage of current from one inner member 22 to the neXt adjacent inner member 22.

Insulating rings 38 are recessed in grooves 32 provided the outer periphery of the outer member 1e and serve to insulate the outer member 10 from contact with the interior wall of the tubing 11, so that no part of the electric current which flows through the outer member 10 reaches the tubing 11 or the well casing 12.

The outer member 10 is provided adjacent its ends with squared sections 4.1 for the application of wrenches in the assembly and disassembly of the sucker rod assembly. A similar squared section 42 is provided on the upper end of the coupler 19.

As shown most clearly in Figure 2B, the coupler 19 is formed of two parts 4-3 and 44 and secured together by a nut 45 threadedly engaged upon a bolt 46 which projects from the lower end of the part 43 and is formed integrally therewith. The part 44 is formed with an upwardly extending recess 47 to which there is access in the conventional manner common to oil well tools, not further illustrated and described as part of the present invention.

In use, the sucker rod assembly, according to the present invention, is used to remove paraflin from the tubing 11 and viscous oils from the interior of the tubing 11 by applying a voltage of sufiicient strength to the wires 25 and 29 to cause the outer member to become heated.

A solvent may be introduced through the flexible conduit 32 into the interior of the inner member 22 through which it flows to the passage 35 and the port 34 and thence into the space between the outer member 10 and the interior wall of the tubing 11. Preferably, the solvent employed is diesel oil or dieselet.

The sucker rod assembly of the present invention is useful in the removal of semi-solids which may accumulate on the interior of the tubing 11 whether by applying heat to the sucker rod or by the use of solvents, or a combination of the two methods. Electrolysis is prevented by having no current flow through the tubing 11 nor through the well casing 12. Upon conversion of the semi-solids or solids to a liquid state, the pumping action of the piston assembly 18 will force the liquefied solids upwardly and to a point of disposal.

What is claimed is:

1. in an oil well sucker rod assembly, an outer hollow member adapted to be positioned within a well tubing, an inner member positioned within and extending longitudinally through said outer member, said outer and inner members being fabricated of electrically conductive material, electrically insulating means interposed between said inner and outer members and separating them from each other, means electrically connecting the lower ends of said outer and inner members together, means on the upper end of said outer member for attachment of a pumping jack, means on the lower endof said outer member for attachment to a pump element, and means for connecting said outer and inner members to opposite sides of a source of electric current, said outer member upon flow of electric current therethrough becoming heated throughout its length whereby the heat thus generated is transferred to semi-fluid substances in the portion of the surrounding well tubing and converts said substances into a flowable state.

2. in an oil well sucker rod assembly, an outer'hollow member adapted to be positioned within a well tubing, an inner member positioned within and extending longitudinally through said outer member, said outer and inner members being fabricated of electrically conductive material, the material of said outer member being of less conductivity than the material of said inner member, electrically insulating means interposed between said outer and inner members and separating them from each other, means electrically connecting the lower ends of said outer and inner members together, means on the upper end of said outer member for attachment of a pumping jack, means on the lower end of said outer member for attachment of a pump element, and means for connecting said outer and inner members to opposite sides of a source of electric current, said outer member upon flow of electric current therethrough becoming heated throughout its length whereby the heat thus generated is transferred to semi-fluid substances in the portion of the surrounding well tubing'and converts said substances into a flowable state.

3. In an oil well sucker rod assembly, an outer hollow member adapted to be positioned within a well tubing, an inner member positioned within and extending longitudinally through said outer member, said outer and inner members being fabricated of electrically conductive material, electrically insulating means interposed between said outer and inner members and separating them from each other, means electrically connecting the lower ends of said inner and outer members together, said last named means embodying a coupler for attachment of a pump element, means on the upper end of said outer member for attachment of a pumping jack, and means for connecting the upper end portions of said outer and inner members to oposite sides of a source of electric current, said outer member upon flow of electric current therethrough becoming heated throughout its length whereby the heat thus generated is transferred to semi-fluid substances in the portion of the surrounding well tubing and converts said substances into a flowable state.

4. in an oil well sucker rod assembly, an outer hollow member adapted to be positioned within a well tubing, an inner member positioned within and extending longitudinally through said outer member, said outer and inner members being fabricated of electrically c011- nuctive material, electrically insulating means interposed between said outer and inner members and separating them from each other, means electrically connecting the lower ends of said outer and inner members together, said last named means embodying a coupler for attachment of a pump element, said coupler including an electrically insulating material electrically separating said outer member from said pump element, means on the upper end of said outer member for attachment of a pumping jack, and means for connecting said outer and inner members to opposite sides of a source of electric current, said outer member upon flow of electric current therethrough becoming heated throughout its length whereby the heat thus generated is transferred to semi-fluid substances in the portion of the surrounding well tubing and converts said substances into a fiowable state.

5. In an oil well sucker rod assembly, an outer hollow member adapted to be positioned within a well tubing, a hollow inner member positioned within and extending longitudinally through said outer member and having a portion adjacent the upper end thereof projecting above the upper end of said outer member, said outer and inner members being fabricated of electrically conductive material, the material of said outer member being of less conductivity than the material of said inner member, electrically insulating means interposed between said outer and inner members and separating them from each other, means electrically connecting the lower ends of said outer member and said inner member together, said last named means embodying a coupler for attachment of a pump element, said coupler including an electrically insulating material electrically separating said outer member from said pump element, means on the upper end of said outer member for attachment of a pumping jack, means on the projecting portion of said inner member for attachment to a source of solvent under pressure, a coupler on the lower end of said outer member for attachment of a pump element, said coupler being provided with a passage connecting in communication the space between said outer member and said well tubing with the interior of said inner member, and means for connecting the upper end of said outer member and the projecting portion of said inner member to opposite sides of a source of electric current, said outer member upon fiow of electric current therethrough becoming heated throughout its length whereby the heat thus generated is transferred to semi-fluid substances in the portion of the surrounding well tubing and converts said substances into a flowable state.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS l it i 

